Review – Anderson Valley Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale

Anderson Valley – “Luscious, creamy, smooth, and warming, this medium bodied ale is brewed with Caramel and crystal malts to give it just a hint of sweetness, then paired with our private blend of holiday spice. Winter Solstice Ale is great alone or as an accompaniment to any meal, and it has been known to liven and spice up nearly any social event.”

Anderson Valley Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale
6.9% abv

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a room temperature pint glass.

Appearance
Medium to dark colored amber in color with lots of head – at least three fingers. The foam was a fluffy tan color and the body of the beer was very clear in the glass.

Aroma
Ginger, nutmeg or cloves up front followed by a rich candy smell. This ale did not smell very highly of alcohol, even though it weighed in at nearly 7 percent. There was just something about this beer that felt like the holidays.

Taste
Sweet and light citrus fruit flavors combined with a tangy and bitter hop presence. The resins from the hops were noticeable but not overpowering. The desirable balance between hops and malt was damn near perfect.

Mouthfeel
Much lighter on the tongue and cheeks as I had anticipated. Smooth and easy to drink characteristics made this winter ale go down really easy.

Overall
Anderson Valley has concocted one of my favorite holiday beers with their Winter Solstice. This ale has all the things I look for in a winter warmer. I picked up a bottle at my local brew store here in New Jersey as part of my custom winter pack. It was so good that of all 6 beers I initially bought, AV was the only one that I actually went back and purchased an entire case.